


Antithesis

by Rroselavy



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-30
Updated: 2010-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-10 08:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rroselavy/pseuds/Rroselavy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kougaiji reflects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Antithesis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [velvetina_wonka](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=velvetina_wonka).



He'd never been his father's son. It was his mother to whom Kougaiji had always sworn allegiance. His mother who'd served as his champion and protector, whose gentle hand had steered him away from the lure of despotism. And it was that loyalty that bound him to her still, enshrined in stones as she'd been for centuries.

Kougaiji despised the fool's mission he'd been charged with; he believed under different circumstances he and Genjo Sanzo could have been not exactly friends, but also not the adversaries into which they'd been cast. Kougaiji knew without any doubt that he and Son Goku could be friends, and that Dokugakuji deserved to be more than sworn enemies to his own blood.

Kougaiji paced between the parapets on one of the roofs of Houtou Castle, feeling very much like a caged tiger on display. There were times, like now that he wanted to just give up, to lay down his arms and walk away from it all. To leave his title behind, leave his father and his mother to their fate and strike off to forge his own anonymous life. But there were too many who depended upon him: His subjects -- who worshipped him with unflinching adoration -- Lirin, whom he would protect with his life, and Yaone and Dokugakuji, who'd vowed their lives to him.

And Kougaiji would never let any of them down.

And even though he hated his father's concubine with all his heart, in the end, he could not bring himself to gamble with his mother's fate. So he was caught in a devil's bargain, errand boy to Gyokumen Koushou and her lackey, Nii Jienyi.

"Kou, are you ready?" He turned to see Doku, Yaone and Lirin waiting for him.

"Yeah, Big Brother! Are we gonna kick some holy ass?"

Kougaiji stood straighter. They would go through the motions, yet again; go toe-to-toe with Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo and Hakkai. But the outcome had already been pre-ordained; as much as Kougaiji wanted to save his mother, he could not bear to do it at the expense of his noble foes.

Besides, his mother would never want that.


End file.
